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LIMITATIONS OF CENSUS DATA FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND NEEDED PROGRAMS

THERE ARE THREE IMPORTANT GAPS IN THE FITTING OF A CENSUS DATA TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING REQUIREMENTS: A DATA GAP, A COMMUNICATIONS GAP, AND A TOOLS AND METHODS GAP. (1) DATA GAP. THE DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS CAN BE VIEWED AS A MATRIX CONSISTING OF THREE DIMENSIONS: GEOGRAPHY (URBAN INTERRURBAN, INTERNATIONAL), MODE (ROAD, RAIL, AIR, ETC.), AND DATA CATEGORIES (LAND-SITED ACTIVITIES, FLOWS OF GOODS AND PERSONS THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES, AND TRANSPORTATION NETWORK CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH THE FLOWS OCCUR). INFORMATION ON COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE USE ACTVITIES IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM CENSUS DATA. WITH RESPECT TO GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE, THE DIME FILES WILL COVER ONLY METROPOLITAN AREAS, SO THAT NETWORKS EMBRACING METROPOLITAN FRINGERS AND INTERSTICES, URBAN AREAS UNDER 50,000 POPULATION, AND RURAL AREAS ARE NOT FULLY COVERED. THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IN THE 1970 CENSUS IS MUCH IMPROVED OVER 1960. DOT-REQUIRED CONTINUING TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FINDS LITTLE SUPPORT IN CURRENT CENSUS-UPDATING PLANS. (2) COMMUNICATIONS GAP. THERE SEEMS TO BE INSUFFICIENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GROUPS AND THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, PARTICULARLY FOR REQUIRED DATA ITEMS, ACCEPTABLE SAMPLING VARIABILITY, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND DATA PROCESSING PROCEDURES. (3) TOOLS AND METHODS GAP. WHILE POTENTIAL USES OF CENSUS DATA ARE MORE OR LESS CLEAR, AND SOME TOOLS ALREADY EXIST FOR EXPLOITING THEM, A PROGRAM SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN TO IDENTIFY APPLICATIONNS, MAKE COST ESTIMATES, AND SUGGEST AGENCIES TO DEVELOP APPROPRIATE TOOLS AND METHODS.